G + B = T

My new project is about the absence of common sense and decency in the United States in regard to how we interfere into people's lives. It is called G + B = T. You figure it out.

Here are the parts I gathered to begin the project. 

The mid-ground items are a radio speaker screen and an old light switch.

This is a photograph that I painted and overlaid with mica. 

Thus we have G + B = T. It is 15"H X 9"W X 4"D. It consists of Cradled Board, Wood Cathedral Frame, Wood Rounds (2), Radio Speaker Screen, Light Switch, Roller Skate Keys (7), Photograph, Mica, Rusted Coffee Filter and Paint

2025 01 Love, Anyone?

 I unburied this tennis racket I bought on a shopping spree on a road trip I took awhile back and thought it was time to put it to its use. When I buy an item like this I pretty much know what I want to do with it and this proved true with this project. 

Essentially the tennis racket serves as a frame. I still need to create a substrate. I decided to use some muslin canvas as the base.

Because of the tennis theme, I searched for tennis terms that might be used. From Wikipedia I learned, "In tennis, 'love' is a term used to describe a score of zero in points, games, or sets." Perfect for this project.

The rhythm of the title comes from the old cliche, "Tennis, anyone?" Where did that phrase come from and who first said it? Again, from Wikipedia, comes this information: "If (Humphrey) Bogart ever did speak the line, it would have presumably been in the 1925 play Hell's Bells, set at the Tanglewood Lodge in New Dauville, Connecticut. Bogart claimed that his line in the play was 'It's forty-love outside. Anyone care to watch?', and that indeed is what is printed in the script. However, according to Darwin Porter, director John Hayden crossed out that line and replaced it with 'Tennis, anyone?' before opening night."

A young Humphrey Bogard

Here is how the collage and painting came out on the substrate.

Then it was time to assemble the project. 

Thus we have Love, Anyone? It is 27"H X 12"W X 3"D. It consists of a Wilson Bruce Barnes Famous Player Series Tennis Racket, Muslin Canvas, Chain, Paper and Paint.

2025 01 That Sea Bright In Its Depths Was The Blood In My Veins

 My mentor and friend Andrea Matus deMeng is my inspiration for the collages that I do. One of her collages, Seadusa, has always intrigued me. 

Seadusa by Andrea Matus deMeng

Today I set off on my own journey to create a work inspired by her work. I started with this fake wicker knick-knack shelf that has been sitting in my basement for years.

Andrea's collage process always begins with what she terms an "audition." This was my understanding of what my collage was going to look like when I was ready to apply it. (Please note the female face in this photograph). 

I took the back off the shelf unit to use as the substrate for the collage. It got painted and then I applied the face I had selected for this collage. To my great regret, I messed up the application of the face and had to tear it off the substrate. I always tell my students (regarding assemblage but it applies to collage), do not even start this if you do not want to problem solve. 

Here is the new face I selected after repairing the painting on the substrate. 

Here is the collage and painting completed on the substrate. Next it was time to paint the frame.

This wicker boat had been sitting with the shelf for all these years so now it was time to paint that as well. 

Thus we have That Sea Bright In Its Depths Was The Blood In My Veins. The title of this piece comes from the Guillaume Apollinaire poem Cortege. It is 32"H X 19"W X 7"D. It consists of a Shelf Unit, Wicker Boat, Clock Face, Paper and Paint.

2025 01 Crown Vic

 

This project began with a cradled board and some homemade rust paper. Then in went a set of nails.

I got this steering wheel cover at the Iola Car Show this year so that it could act as a frame. I do not know what car it is from. 

I picked this photograph from my stash with the idea to use the couple but after I found this gear it became obvious I could only add one person. She went behind the gear and was then covered with resin. 

The gear fit perfectly on the steering wheel cover. As I mentioned above, I have no idea what automobile this steering wheel cover belonged to but because of the rather regal woman I selected to use as the image, I was thinking of the Ford Crown Victoria. 

1955 Ford Crown Victoria

Thus we have Crown Vic. It is 10"H X 13"W X 4"D. It consists of a Cradled Board, Automobile Steering Wheel Cover, Round Metal Remnant, Gear, Dial Face, Decorative Metal Remnant, Photograph, Rust Paper, Resin and Paint.

2025 01 Water of Love

Every once in awhile I love to start a project with a round shape, not the traditional rectangle or square, for the substrate. I covered the round with a rusted coffee filter. 

Awhile back I had purchased this Minnequa Flax Water Bag because I could not believe how cheap it was considering its antiquity. These bags were made to keep water cool in hot weather conditions. They might have even been used to put water into radiators of old cars running in the heat. They had great graphics but mine have all faded to the point where you almost can't see it. 

This is what the bag could look like if it survived

Lately I have also been buying a lot of old vintage lawn sprinklers. Of all the ones that I purchased, this is the only one that is square.

This garden hose sprinkler was enhanced with these images 

Thus we have Water of Love. After I knew I was going to use the sprinkler I was in the basement looking for other parts when the Dire Straits' tune Water of Love came to my lips so that is the name of this piece. It is 21"H X 21" X 2"D. It consists of a Wood Round, Minnequa Flax Water Bag, Square Water Sprinkler, Garden Hose Sprinkler, Drill Storage Box, Stone, Crystals (3) and Nails (24).